A group of education workers on Monday, Sept. 30, voiced strong opposition to the Senate's renewed efforts to reinstate the mandatory Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) program.
For the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) Philippines, the mandatory ROTC might lead to the “potential militarization of Filipino youth” amid escalating tensions in the West Philippine Sea.
“We condemn this blatant attempt to use our youth as pawns in geopolitical conflicts,” ACT Chairperson Vladimer Quetua said in a statement.
“The push for mandatory ROTC is not about instilling discipline or nationalism but about preparing our young people as cannon fodder for the rising threat of war in the region,” he added.
ACT pointed out that Senate Majority Leader Francis Tolentino announced the imminent passage of the mandatory ROTC bill in the Senate, raising widespread concerns among educators and youth advocates.
Quetua highlighted the dark history of the ROTC program, citing previous instances of abuse, corruption, and even fatalities associated with it.
ACT referenced the case of Mark Welson Chua and other victims of ROTC-related violence. “Reviving this program risks exposing more of our youth to similar dangers,” Quetua warned.
Quetua called for genuine patriotic education that encourages critical thinking, promotes peace, and protects Philippine sovereignty, rather than militarizing the education system.
“We need to educate our youth about our history of struggle against colonialism, not train them to be complicit in new forms of foreign domination,” he explained.
ACT urged the Senate to reject the mandatory ROTC bill and instead focus on addressing the root causes of social issues through education, job creation, and genuine agrarian reform.
“Rather than militarizing our learning institutions, we should concentrate on enhancing educational quality, meeting students' healthcare needs, and providing better job opportunities for graduates,” Quetua said.
“Let us invest in the holistic development of our youth, not turn them into instruments of war,” he added.